America at a crossroads…not yet

The Civil War was a crossroads. The writing of the Constitution was a crossroads. Maybe the American cultural revolution in the 1960’s was a crossroads. But 2007 is not a crossroads.

Another crossroads is coming. Two visions of America are competing for the vote and the politicians that emerge will take us one way or the other. And we voters are in charge.

Today’s discussion is skewed by both political parties, but they seem bogged down in party politics, greed, power, and egos; and not the nations’ interests. The big media has taken a participatory role with one of the parties, and in the reporting of same, foreign and domestic.

That sides have been drawn does not change the importance of which path we Americans take at the crossroads.

The crossroads include how insular we will want to be to foreign challenges to our national security, how much we are willing to mortgage our financial future to achieving a more perfect state for our citizens, and how much we will demand of our future politicians’ honesty in leading us.

How soon will the crossroads be here? There are two schemes. One is evolutionary over the next 50 years. The other is catastrophic, as some challenge to our national existence will coalesce us. I buy the latter, and think it will be financial, but that is my guess only.

Can all the preceding discussion help guide we citizens today. Yes!

Again there are two schemes. One is to fight like hell for my party, my politician, and in real time today. Don’t give any quarter. The other is to vote for the longer term, and the more visionary politicians who exhibit some focus on national interests and honesty, at least more than the first option.

Last, while I don’t think of myself as very religious, certain biblical analogies taught me by my father still lurk in my mind. The idea of our Nation becoming fat and lazy and being overwhelmed by enemies has happened before in world history. Another analogy is that “we can kill the goose that lays the golden egg”. All these ideas will be in my mind when we come to the crossroads.

Let me end on an up note that has nothing to do with the crossroads. Today, young Americans are stepping up to the plate in all ways imaginable. Apparently, some of our younger citizens are already voting in many ways, to include their feet.